"As Nor-Am started our expansion, there were many conversations with St. Joseph’s Economic Development team. We appreciated Brad and Patt's advice and counsel, making us aware of what incentive programs applied to Nor-Am. While we are experts in warehousing, we are not experts in economic development, so the Chamber's team is a real asset for companies expanding their existing business or new companies looking at St Joseph. Since coming to St. Joseph six years ago, we have seen our business grow and will continue to make investments in the community."
- Scott Albers, Vice President of Operations, Nor-Am Ice and Cold Storage.

Site Selection

This is about a $100 million investment. It’s the single biggest investment of ours in 10 years. We’re absolutely confident this is the best place to invest our money.” – Dr. Joachim Hasenmaier, global head of animal health for Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. , addressing crowd at 2011 BIVI expansion and groundbreaking in St. Joseph

It’s All Right Here in St. Joseph.

Want the best of location, technology, affordability and workforce talent for your business? It’s all right here in St. Joseph, Mo.

A comprehensive, impressive, Midwestern city that has a multi-generational talented workforce, long history of manufacturing and agricultural success and livability is uniquely St. Joseph. Our city is positioned in the center of the nation’s hotbed of bioscience technology, but is built upon a strong Midwestern work ethic. Combined with an outstanding infrastructure, nationally-praised business support base and low cost utilities, it’s easy to see why so many of the world’s top companies have chosen to call our city of 77,000 their home.

Location:

Just 35 minutes from Kansas City International Airport

The city is a crossroads for two major thoroughfares, Interstate 29 and U.S. Highway 36; intersects with U.S. Highway 71; and is only 45 minutes or less to Interstates 435, 70 and 35, some of the nation’s most traveled roadways

St. Joseph is uniquely positioned within 500 miles of 44 percent of the total U.S. manufacturing establishments, and just 200 miles from the nation’s population center

Low-cost utilities and overall low cost of business, compared to other similar-sized cities

Recent Attraction Projects

A new company, Schütz Container Systems, Inc., a German-based packaging company with locations worldwide, will locate in St. Joseph. This project, announced in late 2014, will result in 50 new jobs and $20 million in investments. The company purchased Eastowne Business Park’s shell building, the 7 acres it sits on and 6.25 acres west of the building for future expansion.

Daily’s Premium Meats, a Montana company, announced in March 2015 it will build a new 100,000 square foot facility in St. Joseph, adding more than 200 jobs and $41.5 million in initial capital investment.

St. Joseph is positioned in a network of major interstates and transportation venues that help businesses draw from regional retail strength. Within just one hour in any direction from St. Joseph, retail establishments number more than 7,100, with a total potential of more than $9 billion. The 18-county region has a combined retail demand potential of more than $3 billion, and a population of nearly 335,000. With national retail opportunities such as Dillard’s, J.C. Penney, Sears, Kohl’s, Target, Sam’s Club, Old Navy, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Menard’s, Lowe’s and The Home Depot, St. Joseph serves as a retail trade destination for not only St. Joseph and Northwest Missouri, but also from Eastern Kansas and southern Iowa and Nebraska.

“Hillyard has been part of St. Joseph for 104 years. We take pride in our deep roots and commitment to the St. Joseph community. The strong work ethic and family values of the residents and a great business community make St. Joseph a great place to operate a nationwide business.” – Hillyard Industries, a global leader in floor care and industrial cleaning supplies, founded in St. Joseph in 1907

Powerful in the Global Bioscience Industry and Animal Health Corridor:

No other city in the Midwest offers the agricultural sciences strength of St. Joseph, receiving a No. 4 ranking by location quotient for agricultural sciences industry, as compared to all 324 U.S. metropolitan areas.*.

St. Joseph is a nationally-recognized leader in animal health and life sciences, and a pivotal component of the KC Animal Health Corridor – where nearly one-third (32 percent) of the $19 billion global animal health industry is located.

Regarding both the concentration of agricultural science and life science employment, St. Joseph ranks among the top ten areas in the country and is home to leaders such as Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. and Triumph Foods.

Quality Education to Build a Top-Notch Workforce

The city is built upon a regional workforce drawing from strong Midwestern work ethic historical agricultural innovation, including long-time linkages to several neighboring rural communities that help provide a dedicated, passionate labor base to St. Joseph.

As a result of a community-wide partnership, St. Joseph’s high school graduation rate is 88.6 percent — higher than the state rate of 85.7 percent

Within the Agricultural Research Triangle, several higher educational institutions, including St. Joseph’s Missouri Western State University, are directly linked with global research and innovations in the bioscience and technology field. Three quality technical training institutions and collaborative programs with the University of Missouri and Northwest Missouri State University make St. Joseph an educational leader across multiple industries.

National Awards for Quality Business Performance:

The Missouri Chamber of Commerce in 2014 commissioned Gallup Inc. to perform a study of Missouri Business Dynamics between the years 1977-2011. “Growth slowed over most of that time in each MSA except St. Joseph (one of the top consistently growing MSAs in the country 2001-2011),” it stated in the Gallup report. While every other Missouri MSA saw a decline in either or both employment growth or increase in firms, St. Joseph was the only city to see growth in both categories.

St. Joseph is ranked as one of top U.S. cities in 2014 Area Development Site and Facility Planning magazine, being named one of its “Leading Locations,” “Leading Small Cities,” and “Leading Midwest Cities.

St. Joseph was named the seventh fastest-growing economy in the nation in 2013, as reported by the Conference of Mayors.

It was fourth in the nation in gross domestic product growth in 2012, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

St. Joseph is home of two 2010 Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award winners, an award of national prestige and distinction – Nestle Purina Petcare and Mosaic Life Care (formerly Heartland Health).

Think Outside the Limits

Learn why St. Joseph, MO is one of the best kept secrets in the Midwest.

Why St. Joseph? Internationally-leading organizations anchoring increased economic development. Low costs for both doing business and quality living. Centrally located in the United States and within minutes of the Kansas City metropolitan area. Fast access to major interstates and a skilled workforce with an outstanding Midwestern work ethic. It’s all right here.Disclaimer: Information contained and attached hereto is for informational purposes only and is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality.